More details are emerging around an explosive sexual assault lawsuit initially filed against two eXp Realty brokers that later expanded to include the founder and CEO of the brokerage.
The lawsuit was brought by four female agents who accused two male agents of luring them to industry events, where the women allege they were drugged and sexually assaulted. The suit was amended after it was filed in February to include eXp executive Glenn Sanford.
Sanford is one of several defendants accused of violating a federal sex trafficking law when he failed to take action following assault allegations made against team leader David Golden and agent Michael Bjorkman, the latter of whom is no longer with the Washington-based brokerage.
The lawsuit claims Sanford and others were aware of the two agents’ alleged drugging of female agents, sexual assault and claims the assaults were either recorded or photographed, Inman reported. Sanford is accused of turning a blind eye to protect the hefty income generated by Golden and Bjorkman’s agent recruiting; Sanford and fellow defendant Brent Gove, another agent, and Golden knew each other from their time at Keller Williams.
When asked what he would do about the alleged assaults, the lawsuit says Sanford responded it was “only going to be in the news cycle for 3-5 days, and nothing will happen.” He is also accused of rejecting requests that would’ve helped the victims of the alleged assaults.
Sanford filed to have the case dismissed, as did fellow defendants Gove, Bjorkman, Golden, eXp Realty and eXp World Holdings. Golden has also filed a motion to have a subpoena regarding his cell phone records quashed, for which a hearing is scheduled next month.
The civil lawsuit alleges incidents at networking and recruiting events in California and Nevada from 2018 to 2020. The accused agents have not been charged with any crimes relating to the allegations. The women are seeking damages in a jury trial.
Sanford founded the brokerage in 2009, and returned to the role of CEO at the start of the year while keeping his responsibilities as chair and chief executive of eXp’s parent company.
— Holden Walter-Warner
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